It’s a remarkable era in the automobile industry where electrics and hybrids are taking the world by storm with their efficiency and green mindset; however, the issue of longevity still exists, given that you have to have a battery that essentially can’t be recharged and last a fairly long time. Today the electric cars of the future, for example the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt, run on the lithium-ion batteries, which do hold up to a point. It still, however, doesn’t measure up to tanks of gasoline. Petrol still plays the game while these lithium-ion batteries sit on the sidelines.
That might all change, though, given this new innovation–Lithium-Air Batteries.
Imagine a type of battery that actually runs on oxygen…. Crazy, right? That’s the major exploration of automotive technology. There are a few benefits to these “breathing batteries.” One, for a vehicle to last for a long enough period of time to measure up with the petroleum style, you’d need quite a few lithium-ion batteries which would take up more space and weigh down the car. Not acceptable. What the revolutionary lithium-air battery does is replace one electrode and provide up to 5 to 10 times more energy as in any ion battery. Theoretically, the energy density of these new batteries can be comparable to your everyday gasoline. In addition, you have the ability to recharge your lithium-air battery. Why? Because, well, it runs on air! The benefits work well with the way the future is heading.
There are some challenges, though. While the lithium-air battery is technically rechargeable, the logistics are somewhat difficult. First off, lithium reacts adversely to water, so using air supply–especially during certain weather conditions and seasons–could present a serious problem. Although the air batteries are more beneficial than your standard ion batteries, the real benefit is its theoretical ability to recharge. If the air batteries can sustain recharges of up to 1,000 cycles, you may see these types of batteries in your electrics and hybrids in the very near future.